Svartsengi Geothermal Plant in Iceland

Pipelines run through the Svartsengi Power Station where superheated water is vented from the ground near a lava flow and used to run turbines that generate electricity. After going through the turbines, the steam and hot water passes through a heat exchanger to provide heat for a municipal hot water heating system. Then the water is fed into a geothermal spa called the Blue Lagoon (a popular tourist attraction) for recreational and medicinal users to bathe in.

Unique identifier: GP02A2F

Type: Image

Shoot date: 07/12/2010

Locations: Iceland, Keflavik, Northern Europe, Reykjanes

Credit line: © Steve Morgan / Greenpeace

Ranking: ★★★★★★ (B)

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Icelandic Geothermal Power Plants

Geothermal resources have been used for over 70 years in Iceland. Reykjanes is a peninsula and a volcanic system situated at the south-western end of Iceland, near the capital of Reykjavík. The geothermal area at Reykjanes is located on top of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, formed by plate tectonics that are moving in separate directions. That gives high geothermal energy, with the Reykjanes area being where the plate boundary of the Reykjanes Ridge comes on land. The area is about 2km2 in size. Iceland's power supply went from 75% imported coal to more than 80% local geothermal and hydro in 30 years. Iceland has a goal to be a carbon-free and oil-free country by 2050. Geothermal power generation causes virtually no pollution or greenhouse gas emissions. It's also quiet, and extremely reliable. Unfortunately, even in many countries with abundant geothermal reserves, this proven renewable energy source is being massively under utilised.

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